


What's In a Name?

by MerlinFicDriveThru



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, Modern Era, Multi, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-01
Updated: 2015-10-01
Packaged: 2018-04-24 05:25:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4907155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MerlinFicDriveThru/pseuds/MerlinFicDriveThru
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Soul-mate AU. Merlin has so many names tattooed on his body that he always wears long sleeves and his neckerchief. It's not actually because he's ashamed of having more than one soulmate - it's because he knows that all those people (or at least the ones still alive), don't have his name on them. He's here for them, but they aren't there for him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What's In a Name?

“Hey there, handsome.” The man was dark haired and honey eyed and drunk off his ass. “Name’s Gwaine.”

Gwaine looked him over, eyes dragging over Merlin’s skin. It left shivers. Gwaine was a name at the crook of his elbow, a name he’d seen many times and wondered who was behind it. Gwaine spoke again, this time lower. “Not my name, but that’s never stopped me before.”

Merlin tried to save his heart that time. He smiled and laughed, but he didn’t let the touches linger or the laughing go too long.

When he caved and Gwaine took him home, it was not what he expected. Gwaine was a gentle lover, and he kissed more than he was kissed. Despite Merlin’s best efforts, when Gwaine worked the shirt off he saw his name like a tell-tale heart on his sleeve. He kissed the place and whispered sorry and Merlin felt his heartbreak when it was done.

He tried not to fall in love, but he always did.

Gwaine married Percival and the three of them were best friends. Merlin’s mark never faded.

Elyan was a singer in a bar. He was tall and he was handsome and he smelled like sandalwood and leather jackets. He kissed Merlin long and slow one night when they were both too drunk. Merlin drank him in and sighed when it was over, and both of them saw stars.

Elyan was a name on the inside of his wrist. Sometimes Merlin had wondered if Elyan would be the name to stay.

But Elyan had no marks. And six months later, they found out why.

Elyan’s funeral was full of flowers. Merlin wondered if Elyan had been in love with him before he’d passed.

Elyan’s name faded one night in the dark and Merlin cried when he found it missing.

He’d had it tattooed on him later, in the dark of night in a dingy shop. The artist had quirked his brow and clicked his tongue and shook his head. Merlin couldn’t make himself explain that Elyan was dead. There were no tricks here.

Freya was a quiet one.

She didn’t go to parties and she didn’t go out.

She liked the comfort of her home and movies on the couch and breakfast at noon. Merlin would rub down her fingers and her toes, kissing everywhere between. His name wasn’t Will, like the name on her shoulder. He loved her anyway. Her name burned on the underside of his upperarm, hidden away unless he stretched.

Will came along one night in the rain. He was broken down and broken hearted and Freya smiled when she made him coffee.

Merlin left in the morning, afraid to stick around and watch them fall in love. He knew her name would never fade.

Arthur was a moaner.

He kissed Merlin hard and he held Merlin close. He left marks down Merlin’s side and dug his nails into the back of Merlin’s calves. He was the first to whisper on the darkest night, in the stale air of Merlin’s little apartment,  _I love you_  into Merlin’s lower back, a breath that made Merlin’s heart stop.

Arthur’s name was sprawled, in looping, large letters, on his right arm, away from all the others.

But no one ever stayed, and Merlin had seen Guinevere on Arthur’s wrist.

He packed up his things and left before the morning, quiet in the night while Arthur slept.

Arthur’s name never faded from his arm.


End file.
